Martina Franca, Italy – The southern region of Puglia became the epicentre of Italian pickleball this weekend, hosting the National Team Championship finals amidst a period of unprecedented growth for the sport in the country.
What’s the Score?
The “Palasun” facility in Martina Franca hosted the finals for the Italian National Team Championships on December 13 and 14. Organised by the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP), the event saw clubs from across the peninsula competing for the “tricolour” shield in two distinct categories: the Open division and the Over-50 division.
Hit it deeper!
The Open category featured a robust lineup of ten teams split into two groups. The roster included heavy hitters such as SSD Exquinox and New Country Club Frascati from Lazio, Tennis Club Sulmona from Abruzzo, and the local hopefuls, ASD Top Tennis Team from Puglia. The format was ruthless: after the group stage, only the top two teams from each pool advanced to the knockout bracket to decide the champion.
The technical level of the event was high, featuring some of Italy’s top-rated talent. Gabriele Nardelli (rated 2.2) led the local Top Tennis Team, while other standouts included Yasser Taha (2.2) of CT Cupra Marittima and Ivan Gianni (2.3) of TC Sulmona. The women’s field was equally competitive, with Erica Gelsomino (2.2) and Francesca Rumi (2.2) headlining the matches.
The Over-50 championship was decided via a round-robin format on Saturday, featuring Bologna Pickleball Team, New Country Club Maury’s Frascati, and Prati SSD. The event concluded Sunday with an awards ceremony crowning the new champions.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The real story in Martina Franca is the context in which this tournament is taking place. The FITP has successfully integrated pickleball into its ecosystem, and the results are staggering. In just twelve months, the number of pickleball courts in Italy has nearly quadrupled, jumping from 120 in 2023 to nearly 400 today.
To put this in perspective, Italy now dwarfs Spain—a global powerhouse in Padel—which has only around 50 dedicated pickleball courts. This tournament is the fruit of that infrastructure boom. By formalising a club-based national championship, Italy is moving the sport away from casual play and into the structured, tribal competition style that defines European sports culture. The “Palasun” event proves that Italy is positioning itself to be the premier pickleball nation in continental Europe, driven by a federation that is fully committed to the sport’s expansion.
Chris Beaumont is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of World Pickleball Magazine. Chris follows the global game closely, reporting on the latest news, developments, stories and tournaments from all five continents. He also hosts the World Pickleball Podcast, interviewing people at all levels of pickleball. Chris is also an avid player, currently struggling to make the breakthrough from 4.0 to 4.5.